Thirds to leonid as westervelt and george trotter



Patented Oct. 4, I898. H. 0. BROWN.

COMBINED BED, TENT, BOAT, 8w.

(Application filed Dec. 17, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

' (No Model.)

INVEN T0]? No. 6I|,829.1 Patented Oct. 4, I898. H. 0. BROWN.

COMBINED BED, TENT, BOAT, 8w.

(Application filed Dec. 17, 1897.)

No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

wmvzss INVEN ran ,4 TTOHNEV NITED STATES PATENT Fries.

HERBERT COURTNEY BROWN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR' OF TWO- THIRDS TO .LEONIDAS VVESTERVELT AND GEORGE TR'OTTER, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBINED 'BED, TENT, BOAT, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. '61 1,829, dated October 4, 1898. Application filed December 17, 1897- Serial No. 662,246. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT COURTNEY BROWN, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in combination apparatus for various usessuoh as sleepingbag, shelter-tent, boat, ambulance, pontoonbridge, coat, knapsack, water-bag, bed, and the 1ikeof which the following is a description, referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

In its most complete formthe invention may be used for all the purposes above enumerated and some others. Some of the features may be omitted without departing, so far as the other features are concerned, from the principles of the invention.

The invention is of so simple a nature that it will be readily understood from the description of its most perfect embodiment so far devised by me, which is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure-1 is a side elevation of the apparatus arranged as a sleeping-bag and protective tent. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation viewed from the foot end. Fig. 4 shows the device arranged as an ambulance, with the tent folded. Fig. 5 shows the device in use as a boat. Fig. 6 shows its use as a pontoon-bridge. Fig. 7 shows it rolled up for storage or transportation. Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section, diagrammatic in character, showing the interior pneumatic mattress and the exterior covering or bag. .Fig. 9 is a plan view of the covering or bag with the tent removed for the purposes of illustration.

Throughout the drawings like letters of reference indicate like parts.

- I will first describe the mattress, though in certain uses of the invention this may be omitted. I will then describethe cover or bag proper and the tent,'and incidentally as I proceed I will explain some of the uses and advantages of the invention.

The mattress is a pneumatic mattress of any desirable type-such, for instance, as shown at M, Fig. 8, in section. The air-compartments within the mattress are preferably divided partially or wholly by stays or walls, which prevent the mattress unduly expanding in the middle and make it more even and comfortable throughout. The head end of the mattress, as is customary in pneumatic mattresses, may be made with a larger compartment, so as to be higher than the rest-of the mattress when inflated. All such details, though important in practice, are not essential to the principles of my invention.

For blowing up and collapsing the mattress I provide an air-valve at E, which extends through a corner of the outer bag, as clearly shown-in Figs. 1 and. 2.- By any desirable means, such as a small hand-pump, the mattress may be readily inflated.

The mattress is inclosed, preferably com- 4 pletely, in a bag D of waterproof material, only the air-valve'E projecting through the opening. It is not material how the mattress.

may be conveniently introduced and taken from the bag, as there are many well-known ways of accomplishing this. Indeed, it would not be material if the mattress could not be removed at all, though I prefer to have it removable for the purposes of ready repair in case of puncture or other damage. Over the middle portions and foot of the bag D extends the covering or secondary bag portion 0,

which, with the mattress and bag D, form the I sleeping-bag of waterproof and .protective material. Preferably the cover 0 is formed into two flaps O, which may be laced or otherwise secured comfortably over the occupant of the bagin any desired degree. Fig. 4 shows these flaps thrown back to a considerable extent. Figs. 1 and 2 show. them closed. The cover 0 preferably does not extend up to the extreme head end of the apparatus, but terminates at about the point indicated in Fig. 9, leaving the upper portion to be covered by the tent A. The tent when closed is approximately pyramidal in shape and inclined toward'the foot of the bed, as shown in Figs. 1 I

, to the weather. tent will preferably be collapsed, and-the D at the head end and some distance along each side, thus inclosing three sides of the tent completely. Flaps G serve for inclosing the forward side of the tent. The tent may be prevented from blowing down by means of cords B, secured to the apex'of the tent and the sides of the apparatus. Flaps G preferably overlap and may be buttoned or secured lto the cover 0 in any of several positions by means of buttons attached to the covers 0. I have indicated some of these buttons at B. The buttons B on the outside of the tent serve to secure the flaps back and away from the front of the tent for warm pleasant weather. To guard against mosquitos, I have lightflaps of mosquito-netting N, which may be closed in the same manner as the flaps G, when desired. In order that the tent may be entirely closed by the flaps G in cold weather and at the same time provisions for ventilation be made, I form air-openings in the top of the tent, covered by one or more depending flaps, as shown at F.

Located at the four corners and preferably at the middle of the sides of the apparatus are straps P, by which poles Q, which may be cut from young trees, may be secured, as shown in Fig. 4, to form an ambulance, or, as shown in Fig. 6, to form a floating pontoon-bridge, the several mattresses employed in the latter instance being inflated as fully as possible, so as to carry great weight by their buoyancy. In forming a pontoon-bridge the tent of each apparatus is laid down and several of the apparatuses of a required number are overlapped, as seen in the figure, not unlike the shingles on a roof. While this is a preferable construction for a pontoon-bridge, it is clear that the overlapping may be omitted and in that way a fewer number of mattresses made to serve. i

WVhen used as a sleeping-bag, shelter-tent, ambulance, or the like, the tent may be up or downand the flaps open or closed and the mosquito-netting used or disused, according When used as a boat, the

flaps C may be secured around the waist and the tent drawn up at the back, as shown in Fig. 5, guns, provisions, and other articles to be kept dry being slipped under the cover 0. When used as a waterproof coat, the mattress may preferably be collapsed and the tent, when laid down, as shown in Fig. 4, may be drawn over each shoulder, the bag portion and mattress hanging down and protecting the back. For carrying water or other fluids the inflatable mattress may be .filled partially or wholly therewith, and this does not interfere with its use as a mattress. When the mattress is perfectly devoid of air, the whole apparatus may be'rolledupfin a very small package, as showngin Fig. 7, and

' for the purposes of transportation of provisions, arms, ammunition, and other articles such articles may be placed beneath the cover O. and rolled up therein, or may be trans ported by using the apparatus when arranged as in Fig. 4. The articles carried in the said latter case may be placed beneath the cover 0, the flaps-C entirely closed, and the tent A drawn loosely down over the meeting flaps O. 7

It is clear that the omission of the tent from my'apparatus will not interfere with its use for some of the purposes enumerated. Similarly the straps P might be omitted without interfering with its use as a sleeping-bag, and. while, therefore, I prefer to combine all the features illustrated and enumerated it is clear I may omit several of them without departing from the principles of the invention as applied in part to the combination of the remaining features. r

I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, the following:

'1. In combination in apparatus for sleeping, protection, &c., a bag adapted to receive a mattress, a tent adj ustablysecured to the said bag at its head end, and a covering 0 for the occupant forming withthe said bag a compartment for the occupant distinct from the compartment for the mattress, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination in apparatus for sleeping, protection, &c., the bag adapted to .re-

ceive a mattress, a covering G which formsjointly with the bag a compartment for the occupant, the tent for'the head portion thereof secured at its lower edges to the edges of the said bag and provided with adjustable and overlapping flaps G, and meansfor securing the said flaps in various positions, as closed, overlapped but partly opened, and opened, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination in apparatus for 'sleeping, protection, &c.,\ a bag adapted to receive a mattress and forming the base of the apparatus, a covering 0 secured to the bag'and forming jointly therewith a compartment for the occupant the tent for the head portion thereof secured-at its lower edges to the edges of the said apparatus and provided with ad I justable and overlapping flaps G, openings near the apex of the tent, and depending flaps F securedover'the said openings, substantiallyas set forth.

4. In combination in sleeping and protec tionapparatus provided with an inflatable mattress, a bag which receivesthe said mattress, a covering secured to the bag and forming therewith a compartment for the occupant, and devices for detachably securing poles or bars at the sides of the said bag,

thereby forming a combined bed, ambulance,

and boat, when the poles or bars are in place,

substantially as set forth.

my hand this 16th day of December, A. D.

' HERBERT COURTNEY BROWN. Witnesses:

LEoNIDAs WESTERVELT, HAROLD BINNEY.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set. 

